Welcome to The Euro Debrief, a fresh Sky Sports column where Adam Bate distils the most compelling narratives from the latest fixtures across Europe. This week’s roundup touches on the Bundesliga, LaLiga, Serie A, Ligue 1 and the Eredivisie, highlighting standout performances from some of football’s biggest names and emerging talents. In Germany, Harry Kane finally broke Bayern Munich’s unbeaten run in the Bundesliga with a classic strike that echoed his World Cup winner against the DR Congo. The England captain netted his 150th goal for the Bavarian giants in the 72nd minute, sealing a 2-1 victory over newly promoted Elversberg and handing the visitors their first defeat of the campaign.
While Bayern remain in the hunt for the league crown, they have yet to reclaim the top spot, which is currently occupied by Freiburg after a dominant 5-0 demolition of a struggling Borussia Mönchengladbach side. The loss prompted Gladbach to dismiss coach Eugen Polanski, who lamented the team’s inexplicable errors following a previous setback against Elversberg. Further down the table, Borussia Dortmund kept their perfect start alive with a 3-0 win over Paderborn, thanks to a brace from Felix Nmecha and a debut start for Portuguese forward Fabio Silva.
Silva’s fourth goal of the season already surpasses his total from the entire previous campaign, underscoring his rapid adaptation after injuries sidelined Dortmund’s high‑profile Greek signings. Meanwhile, Schalke secured their first Bundesliga triumph since returning to the top flight, grinding out a 3-1 win over Union Berlin while holding the ball only 34% of the time. Werder Bremen’s Niclas Füllkrug added another goal to his tally, and Eintracht Frankfurt’s keeper Noah Atubolu extended his remarkable penalty‑save streak to six consecutive attempts in a 3-1 victory at Mainz. The full set of Bundesliga results reads: Union Berlin 1-3 Schalke, Augsburg 2-2 Bayer Leverkusen, Borussia Dortmund 3-0 Paderborn, Freiburg 5-0 Borussia Mönchengladbach, Hoffenheim 2-1 Stuttgart, Mainz 1-3 Eintracht Frankfurt, Cologne 1-1 Werder Bremen, RB Leipzig 5-0 Hamburg, Elversberg 1-2 Bayern Munich.
Turning to LaLiga, Barcelona’s recent form has shown signs of fatigue. After a prolific spell that produced five goals in two away games, they were held to four against Levante, with teenage sensation Lamine Yamal netting a brace, one of them from the spot. Raphinha’s reduced involvement has sparked speculation about his role in the Ballon d'Or race, while Karim Adeyemi’s goal was voted the match’s best, highlighting the attacking firepower at the disposal of coach Hansi Flick. Real Madrid rebounded from a defeat to Real Betis with a 4-1 demolition of Rayo Vallecano at the Bernabéu.
Kylian Mbappé opened the scoring and added a second, while Jude Bellingham also found the net. New signing Yan Diomande made his first start, prompting manager José Mourinho to praise his potential while noting his tactical learning curve.
Substitute Arda Güler, who entered in the 72nd minute, provided the assist for Mbappé’s second goal and created five chances – the most of any player on the pitch – showcasing the depth of talent in Madrid’s attacking ranks. Despite the £120 million investment in Diomande, Mourinho hinted that a more defensive midfielder might have been a wiser acquisition, especially as rivals like Barcelona continue to struggle defensively. In the south of Spain, Valencia’s woes persisted, culminating in the dismissal of Carlos Corberán after a loss to Sevilla. The club’s owner appears desperate to avoid a second‑division drop ahead of the completion of the new 70,000‑seat Nou Mestalla stadium.
Meanwhile, in Galicia, Deportivo A Coruña enjoy a revival led by veteran Pierre‑Emerick Aubameyang, who has scored in each of the first five league matches, edging toward the all‑time LaLiga record of seven consecutive games with a goal. LaLiga’s latest scores: Sevilla 1-0 Valencia, Racing Santander 2-1 Alavés, Osasuna 0-2 Espanyol, Athletic Club 1-1 Elche, Real Madrid 4-1 Rayo Vallecano, Celta Vigo 1-1 Málaga, Levante 2-4 Barcelona, Getafe 1-1 Deportivo A Coruña, Real Sociedad 0-3 Atlético Madrid.
In Italy, AC Milan clawed back from a 0-2 halftime deficit to draw 2-2 with Lazio after manager Rúben Amorim’s bold triple substitution at the break. The changes brought on Luka Modrić, Ruben Loftus‑Cheek and Pervis Estupiñán, and summer signing Diego Moreira scored both Milan goals. Amorim stressed the need for consistency across both halves of the match.
The atmosphere at the Stadio Olimpico was charged, with a majority of the crowd supporting Milan amid ongoing protests by Lazio fans against club president Claudio Lotito. Lazio remain unbeaten this season despite the unrest. Juventus saw their unbeaten Serie A run snapped when 20‑year‑old Vasilije Adžić, on loan at Sassuolo, netted a 94th‑minute winner against them after Juve had equalised in stoppage time. The weekend’s Italian highlights, however, belonged to teenager Franco Mastantuono, who recorded a hat‑trick for Fiorentina in a 4-2 victory over Venezia, providing a bright spot after manager Fabio Grosso’s dismissal.
Serie A results: Venezia 2-4 Fiorentina, Genoa 1-1 Frosinone, Lazio 2-2 AC Milan, Atalanta 1-2 Cagliari, Lecce 3-2 Monza, Napoli 1-0 Bologna, Sassuolo 3-2 Juventus. In Ligue 1, Paris Saint‑Germain finally earned their first win of the season, with Ferran Torres scoring the solitary goal at Brest.
The match was marked by Luis Enrique’s tribute shirt reading “King Eric” in memory of former Brest coach Eric Roy, who passed away in June. Lille surged to the top of the table after Ethan Mbappé, Kylian’s younger brother, struck the winning goal against Troyes.
New manager Davide Ancelotti has guided Lille to an unbeaten start despite the loss of several star players in the summer. Rennes continued their unbeaten run by handing Marseille a third consecutive defeat.
Elsewhere, Paris FC and Lyon drew 0-0, while Monaco salvaged a point at Strasbourg thanks to a spectacular goal from Paris Brunner, a rising talent. On loan from Southampton, Cameron Archer impressed with a winning goal for Auxerre against Nice, earning praise from his former boss Will Still, who highlighted Archer’s intelligent movement and finishing.
Ligue 1 scores: Rennes 1-0 Marseille, Strasbourg 1-1 Monaco, Auxerre 1-0 Nice, Le Havre 0-0 Angers, Lorient 2-2 Toulouse, Paris FC 0-0 Lyon, Lille 2-0 Troyes, Le Mans 2-2 Lens, Brest 0-1 PSG. In the Dutch Eredivisie, Davy Klaassen made history for Ajax by scoring at 24 different stadiums, a feat previously achieved only by Johan Cruyff. Ajax defeated Fortuna Sittard 5-1, while Feyenoord’s offensive onslaught produced seven goals against PEC Zwolle.
PSV’s 4-1 win over Sparta Rotterdam was pivotal, propelling the defending champions back to the summit after AZ Alkmaar faltered against Willem II. Portugal’s Primeira Liga saw Sporting concede a late equaliser to Famalicão despite the visitors playing with ten men, while both Porto and Benfica turned deficits into victories, setting the stage for an exciting O Clássico next weekend. Overall, this week’s European football action delivered drama, surprise managerial changes, breakthrough performances from young stars, and a reminder that even the most storied clubs can be vulnerable. The Ballon d'Or race continues to heat up, with Kane, Mbappé and the teenage prodigy Lamine Yamal all providing moments that could sway voters in the months ahead.